[cisco-voip] new cisco usb console cable

[Doug McIntyre]

On Fri, Jan 08, 2010 at 11:37:11AM +1100, Dale Shaw wrote:
> <jason.aarons at us.didata.com> wrote:
> > I have to admit the Keyspan USB/Serial stuff had worked flawless since I
> > switched to it, but I hate carrying around that adapter?
> 
> That's the key benefit for me. My Keyspan USA-19HS works beautifully,
> but it adds bulk to an already bulging backpack.


I want to contract with somebody to make USB serial dongles that are
nothing more than a USB plug, a tiny,flat chip package somewhere on
the cable (close to the USB end?), and ending in a Cisco compatible
RJ-45 pinout. We don't need big DE-9 connectors, or USB A connectors
or LEDs or big plastic clamshells. Probably not a big volume or money
maker there, but I'd buy some. 


> *ponders*  I wonder how long it'll be before the console server
> vendors catch up? Is there anything out there already? Does it do 'em
> out of a market anyway? Any reason you couldn't just have 'em all
> connected to a PC/server via a high density USB hub? I wonder what the
> practical limit is of all those virtualised COM ports? Probably OS
> dependent.

Not quite what you asked, but there are many other devices that are USB
connected. I think the USB forum really did a disservice by only making a
MODEM interface class, instead of a bog-standard serial interface class
as well. Then we could have standard drivers dealing with standard endpoints
and virtualizing whole wide ranges of devices off of that.